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The National Response Plan (NRP): HHS, CDC, and DHS Coordination

CDC Public Health Preparedness ConferenceFebruary 24, 2005

By: By: Brian Kamoie, JD, MPHBrian Kamoie, JD, MPHSpecial AssistantSpecial Assistant

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Outline

Role of HHS in Development and Implementation of the NRP

NRP Coordination Structures

Authorities of HHS Secretary

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #8: Public Health and Medical Services– Coordination between HHS Operating Divisions– Coordination between ESF #8 Interagency Partners– Concept of Operations

Conclusion

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HHS Role in NRP Development and Implementation

Full partner in NRP development and implementation

Represented on the NRP Writing Team, led by DHS

Drafted and circulated the NRP for review and comment by HHS operating divisions; DHS circulated to State/Local partners

CDC and State/Local partners played an integral role in providing guidance on a wide range of public health and medical response issues

Represented on the NRP Implementation Group, including evaluation and training sub-groups

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HHS Coordination with CDC and DHS

NRP details Federal coordination structures for response to actual or potential Incidents of National Significance (e.g., Interagency Incident Management Group (IIMG))

HHS represented on coordination structures

HHS is the Coordinating and Primary Agency for two key NRP components: – Emergency Support Function #8: Public Health and Medical

Services– Biological Incident Annex

HHS carries out authorities and responsibilities by working closely with our operating divisions (including CDC) and interagency partners (including DHS)

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Authorities of the HHS Secretary(Unchanged by the NRP)

• Declare a public health emergency

• Make and enforce regulations concerning isolation and quarantine

• Conduct and support research and investigations into the cause, treatment, or prevention of a disease or disorder

• Direct the deployment of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

• Provide public health and medical services

• Provide for the licensure of biological products

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Provides coordinated Federal assistance to supplement State, local, and Tribal resources in response to public health and medical care needs for potential or actual Incidents of National Significance and/or during developing potential health and medical situations

Emergency Support Function #8:Public Health and Medical Services

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Coordinated by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) principally through the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (ASPHEP)

ESF #8 resources can be activated through: – the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance

Act or the Public Health Service Act for the purposes of Federal-to-State or Federal-to-Federal support; or

– the memorandum for Federal mutual aid included in the National Response Plan (NRP) Financial Management Support Annex (non-Stafford Act incidents)

ESF #8 - Continued

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ESF #8 support is categorized in the following core functional areas:

1. Assessment of public health/medical needs;

2. Public health surveillance;

3. Definitive care and medical personnel; and

4. Medical equipment and supplies.

ESF #8 - Continued

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Office of the Secretary– Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (ASPHEP), Assistant

Secretary for Health, Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/Office of Terrorism Prevention and Emergency Response

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Health Resources and Services Administration

Indian Health Service (HRSA)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Administration on Aging (AoA)

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

ESF #8 – HHS Operating Divisions

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ESF #8 Roles: HHS Operating Division Examples

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Conducts disease surveillance activities, detects and investigates disease outbreaks and other health conditions, and develops strategies for dealing with the public health aspects of an emergency

Components within CDC have roles in evaluating chemical spills and environmental contamination and providing safety and health recommendations to responders (e.g., personal protective equipment)

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ESF #8 Roles: HHS Operating Division Examples

Office of the Secretary/Office of the Surgeon General (OSG)

OSG is responsible for coordinating the deployable element of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and officers who are called to duty in the Inactive Reserve Corps during deployment in support of the ASPHEP.

The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps has the ability to deploy physicians, nurses, pharmacists, engineers, environmental health officers, dentists, mental health providers, scientists, therapists, dieticians, epidemiologists, health educators, food safety inspectors, and other public health professionals.

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Department of Agriculture

Department of Defense

Department of Energy

Department of Homeland Security

Department of the Interior

Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Department of State

Department of Transportation

Department of Veterans Affairs

Environmental Protection Agency

General Services Administration

U.S. Agency for International Development

U.S. Postal Service

American Red Cross

ESF #8 – Partners/Support Agencies

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ESF #8 Roles: Interagency Partner Examples

Department of Homeland Security

Directs the activation of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) as necessary to support incident response operations

In coordination with HHS, deploys NDMS health/medical personnel, equipment, and supplies in a phased regional approach, and coordinates the provision of hospital care and outpatient services, veterinary services, and mortuary services

HHS, VA, and DOD assist in coordinating NDMS operations

Coordinates NDMS to assist in establishing priorities with HHS and ESF #8 partners for application of health and medical support

Assists in providing information/liaison with emergency management officials in NDMS Federal Coordinating Center (FCC) area

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ESF #8 Roles: Interagency Partner Examples

Department of Veterans Affairs

Coordinates with participating non-Federal NDMS hospitals to provide incident-related medical care to authorized NDMS beneficiaries affected by a major disaster or emergency;

Furnishes available VA hospital care and medical services to individuals responding to, involved in, or otherwise affected by a major disaster of emergency, including members of the Armed Forces on active duty;

Designates and deploys available medical, surgical, mental health, and other health service support assets; and

Provides a Medical Emergency Radiological Response Team for technical consultation on the medical management of injuries and illnesses due to exposure to or contamination by ionizing radiation.

(Subject to the availability of resources and funding, and consistent with the VA mission to provide priority services to veterans)

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ESF #8: Concept of Operations

Upon notification, the ASPHEP alerts identified HHS personnel to represent ESF #8, as required, on the NRP Coordination Structures– National Response Coordination Center (NRCC); – Interagency Incident Management Group (IIMG); – Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC)/Joint Field Office

(JFO); – National Emergency Response Team; – Emergency Response Team–Advance Element (ERT-A); and – Joint Information Center

HHS notifies and requests partner organizations to participate in headquarters coordination activities, including providing liaisons to the HHS Secretary’s Operations Center

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ESF #8: Concept of Operations

Headquarters ESF #8 staff provide liaison and communications support to regional ESF #8 groups to facilitate direct communications.

Headquarters ESF #8 personnel are deployed as necessary to assist regional ESF #8 personnel in establishing and maintaining effective coordination within the impacted area.

ESF #8 coordinates with the appropriate State, local, and tribal medical and public health officials and organizations to determine current medical and public health assistance requirements.

Public health and medical subject-matter experts from HHS and ESF #8 organizations are consulted as needed.

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Conclusion

HHS fully supports the NRP and has been instrumental in its development and implementation

NRP provides coordination structures that will enhance domestic incident prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

HHS is the Coordinating and Primary Agency for ESF #8 and the Biological Incident Annex (which builds upon ESF #8 and details additional steps for biological incidents)

HHS looks forward to implementing the plan with our State and Local Partners

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Assistant Secretary for

Public Health Emergency Preparedness

Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 638G200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201

(202) 205-2882 www.hhs.gov/asphep

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Questions?